Safety release mechanism



sept. v22, 1936.

N. L. ETTEN SAFETY RELEASE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 25, .19:52 :s sheets-sheet 1 kil INV-ENTER.

W 1w AT1-YE Sept. 22, *1936. N. L. ETTEN SAFETY RELEASE MEGHANI SM Filed Dee. 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 4f INYENITCIR.

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AUT5' Sept. 22, 1936. i N, ETTEN `2,054,970

SAFETY RELEASE 'MECHANISM Filed Deo. 25, 19:52

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oEElcE SAFETY RELEASE MEcnANIsM Nicholas L. Etten, .'Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Chamberlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa.

Application December 23, 1932, Serial No. 648,620 13'Claims. (Cl. 68-32) This invention-relates to safety release mechanism for power driven roll wringers.

It is herein shown as operably embodied in a roll wringer unit, to function in such a manner as to co-act with the several structural members of thesaid wringer to instantly relieve the normal working pressure between the roll members thereon,` this result being accomplished through a slight and simple movement on the part of an operator.

The following description will illustrate that the several structural and operating members of the wringer are retained in normal working relation by means which normally rest in locked engagement. y.

Hand rails, conveniently disposed and supported upon the wringer structure, are operable to disengage the locking means and remove the normal working pressure between the wringer rolls, thus removing the possibility of accidental injury to the operator, wringer or garments being wrung.

The main object of the invention is to provide a wringer release mechanism which is simple in form and function and which may be eiectively operatedl by inexperienced operators.

A further object is to provide a release mechanism which is rapidin its action and which may be operated with slight manual effort.

Another object is to provide a safety release mechanism which is so assembled with and disposed upon the Wringer structure that it is readily reached and operated from eitherside of the wringer.

A further object is to provide a safety release mechanism the operation of which involves no specific or trained movement on the part of the operator.

It is well known that the conventional power driven roll wringer may, underv certain condi--` tions of domestic use, cause injury to the operator, garments being wrung or even to the wringer mechanism.

Wringers which are used in the work of domestic washing are seldom operated more than an hour or two each Week and such short periods of use, with comparatively long periods of time elapsing between' such periods of use, rarely afford sufficient practice for the operator to become skilled in the operation of devices of this type.

It is also quite possible that such equipment could ever be acquired by them, or it may be used by persons who are nervous or easily confused. It is also possible that emergencies may arise through the activities of children, whose fingers or hands may be injured by being caught between the revolving rolls.

Considering the above, together with the possibility of injury to garments which might occur through such unusual obstructions as improperly straightened buttons or sharp objects in pockets passing between the tightly compressed rollers, l0 it is obviously desirable to provide' simple, rapid and easily operated means for rendering the revolving rolls incapable of injury.

Such a means is provided in the present invention which is clearly disclosed in the followl5 ing description and accompanying drawings, in

. whichin fully released position;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view showing a method of retaining'certain of the Wringer parts; l Q 30 Fig. 7 is an enlarged end elevational view taken from line I-'I in` Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional View showing a variation of the release mechanism to be' described; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the same in released position.

Fig. 1 will disclose a roll wringer assembly which is generally composed of a transverse lower frame member IIJ, to which is attached two upright end frame members I I and I2, which are of channel section. Joining `the upright end members II and I2 is a transverse frame member I3 also of channelv section. The member I3 is retained in suitable relation upon the end member I2 by a lip portion I4 formed in the body of end member I2, as best shown in Fig. 6.

At the opposite end, member I3 is retained by a suitable linkage which will be explained later.

Disposed between frame members II and I2 are upper and lower wringer rolls I5 and I6. The shaft of the lower roll I5 is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks I1 and I8, which arev rockably supported in the end frame members by pins I8 and I9, as shown. The shaft of the upper roll I 9 is rotatably mounted in inverted bearing blocks 2I and =22 which are slidably supported in frame members II` and I2, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Contact pressure between the rollers is maintained by a flat spring member 23, the ends of which rest upon the slidable bearing blocks 2| and 22, as shown, while the central portion is abutted by a hand screw member 24 threadedly mounted in thetransverse trame vmember I3, as shown. Obviously, contact pressure between the rolls I and I5 may be adjusted by suitable manipulation of the screw 24.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that a link member 25 is pivotally mounted, by means of a pin 26, upon a bracket member 21 which lat ter is afllxed to frame member I3.

The link member 25 is pivotally attached at its lower end, to a link member 28 by means of a pin 29. The opposite end of link 28 is pivotally mounted, by means of a pin 38, upon a bracket member 3| which is rigidly amxed. to side frame member II.

Figs. 3 and 5 will illustrate that the left hand end of frame member I3, as viewed in Fig. 1, is retained in working position by the togglelike arrangement oflinks 25 and 28, as pivoted by pin 26 on frame I3 and pin 39 on frame II.

Fig. 3 will indicate that whenlinks 25 and 26 are in working or locking position, pin 29 is disposed somewhat short of a dead center alignment with relation to pins 26 and 30 so that,

with the parts placed as shown in Fig..3, links 25 and 28 are in such position as to retain the wringer parts in the relation shown and support approximately all of the pressure load of the wringer rolls. Itwill be apparent, however, that since pin 29 is aligned slightly oi center with relation to pins 3|! and 26, thetensioning pull on link 25 may overcome the toggled locking action of links 25 and 28 and permit the parts to assume the position shown in Fig. 5.

.As already noted, links 25 and 28 are adapted to.support approximately all of the pressure load of the wringer rolls. Obviously, they will not remain in working' position unless suitably retained.

To retain them 'as described,- the following mechanism is provided: A

Figs. 1 and 2 will disclose two hand rails 32 and 33 disposed upon either side of the wringer. Since they are identical in form and function, only the mechanism associated with rail 33 will be described.

The drawings will illustrate that rail 33 is supported at its right hand'end by a forked linkmember 34, which is pivotally attached-to rail 33 by a pin 35, and similarly attached to a bracket member 31 by a pin 38.

At its left hand end, rail 33 is pivotally attached to a forked link member 39 by a pin 40. Link 39 is pivotally and slidably supported by a pin 42' in a slotted bracket member 4I which is ailxed to frame member II.

As best shown in Fig. 7, brackets 4I. are so formed, at their base portions, as to retainl the legs of a U-shaped lever member 42. -The legs of lever 42 are pivotally supported between brackets 4I and frame II by pins 43, as shown. Lever 42 has, upon either side, vextensions 44 which are adapted, as shown, to be engaged by sliding pins 42'; it also carries hooked portions 45 which are adapted to engage pin 29 of links 25 and 28, as shown. i

A compression spring 46 reacts between theA lower end of a loosely mounted pin 41 and lever 42 to urge hooks 45 into engagement with pin 29. Pin 41 is suitably supported by its head in bracket 3i, as shown.

The drawings referred to will illustrate that the leg portions of links 34 and 39 are joined by connecting portions as 36 which pass around the inner side of rail 33 in such a manner as to pe'rmit rail 33 to be moved toward the wringer rolls but to retain the said rail against outward movement. Obviously, any movement of rail 33 toward the wringer will tend to arrange the linkage in a straight line, which will result in greater center to center length as between pins 38 and 42'. Pin 38 being mounted in a stationary manner, it is clear that straightening of the linkage trainY would result in sliding movement of pin 42 in the slots of bracket 4I thereby displacing extension 44 of lever 42 to rotate lever 42 upon pins 43 to Vwithdraw hooks 45 from engagement with pin 29. The movement is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The linkage train of link 39, rail 33 and link 34 is retained in the normal operable position shown in Fig. 2 by the spring 46 acting through bracket 3I and pin 41 to urge lever 42, together with extensions 44, against sliding pins 42 resulting in obvious movement of links 34 and 39 to abut connecting portions 36 against rail 33.

The device may be operated as follows:

With 'the parts assembled as in Figs. 1 and 3', a slightmanual push or knock against either of rails 33 will straighten the link train as described and slide pin 42', as described, to rotate lever 42 to withdraw hooks 45 and release pin- 29, thus allowing links and 28 to rotate upon their supporting pins as shown in Fig. 5, with consequent upward movement of frame I3 to relieve the pressure of spring 23 against bearing block 2| and remove the contact pressure between rolls I5 and I6. The described upward movement of frame I3 at the right hand end, together with the sudden release of tension in spring 23 disturbs the parts suiilciently to unhook the `right hand end of member I3 from lip I4. Thus a slight manual touch upon rail 33 will result in immediate removal of pressure between rolls I5 and I6 and release of any object caught between them. The several parts may be restored to their original working position by rotating screw 24 to withdraw spring 23 somewhat, re-hooking the right hand end of frame I3 over lip I4 and bearing down upon the right hand end, which will automatically replace -the described locking devices in position as shown in Fig. 3. r

A variation ofthe above described releasing device is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, wherein the link 25 has been replaced with a link of somewhat dil'erent form, designated as 48, which instead of being pivoted upon pin 29, is so formed as to hook around the body of link 28, as shown. The operation and eifect is identical with that already described with the exception that frame I3, when released may be separated a greater distance from member II than is possible .with theformer arrangement.

A link member 49 pivotally attached to frame member I3 by a pin 50, and slidably attached to frame member II by a-pin 5I permits removal of frame member I3 to a considerable distance but assists in maintaining alignment so as to facilitate re-assembly of the parts into working position'.

70 to the wringer rolls.

,-What'I claim is: 1. A roll wringer releasing device'comprising an upright wringer frame, parallel rolls and means to urge said rolls into peripheral con- 15 ported by the upright portions of said frame,

a separa cross head member supported by said'uprig t portions, adjustable spring means carried by said cross head member for normally holding said wringer rolls in pressure contact,

20 toggle link mechanism having inseparable members for retaining said cross head member in normal working position and joining the cross headto at least one of the upright portions, a movable latch member for holding the toggle 25 mechanism in operable relation when retained in holding position and so that the pressure load is divided between the toggle mechanism and latch, said spring means being operable to move the toggle mechanism when the latch is il) not retained -in holding position whereby the pressure between'the rolls is released.

3. In a wringer structure in combination a frame having upright portions, wringer rolls supportedv by the upright portions of said frame,

35 a' separable cross head member supported by said upright portions, adjustable spring means carried by said cross head member for normally holdingjsaid wringer rolls in pressure contact, toggle link mechanism having separable memo bers which when joined retain the cross head member in normal working position, and joining said cross head to atleast one of the upright portions, a movable latch member for holding the`l toggle mechanism in operable relation when 5 retained in holding position so that the pressure' load is divided between the toggle mechanism and latch, said spring means being operable to move the toggle mechanism when the latch is not retained in holding position whereby the 5 pressure between the rollsis released.

4. In a wringer structure as^in claim 2, in combination, a link member pivotally attached to the pressure supporting cross member and slidably attached to the roll supporting struc- 55 ture to prevent misalignment and separation'.

-as between the said cross member and the said roll supporting structure.

5. In a wringer mechanism, in combination,

wringer rolls, an adjustable pressure sustainingv 50 means therefor which is retained at one end partly by,toggled links and partly by a removable hook, which hook is adapted to be-removed from its pressure supporting position by the operation of one or lmore hand rails disposed g5 adjacent the wringer rolls.

6. In a releasing mechanism, the combination o! toggled links and retaining hook as in claim 5, the said hook being operable by movement of hand railslocated adjacent and parallel 7. In a releasing mechanism comprising hand rails located adjacent and parallel to the wringer rolls, the said hand rails being pivotally supported to operate in `a horizontal plane in one 75 direction only, the said pivotal supporting means being adapted, when the said rail is operated in tha permitted direction, to displace one of the said pivotal supporting means to rotate a lever carrying a hook which partly supports the contact pressure between the wringer rolls.

8. In a releasing device as in claim 7, a lever carrying a hook which partly supports the coni tact pressure between the wringer rolls, thesaid lever being retained in normal operable position by a spring which` spring is adapted, l through the said lever, to retain lthe pivoted hand rail supporting means in normal operable position.`

9. In a releasing mechanism, in combination, a wringer comprising contiguous rolls and a presl sure applying means therefor, aframe for said rolls and said pressure means, hand rails disposed adjacent and parallel to wringer rolls, said hand rails being pivotally supported at both ends, the pivotal support means comprising links which are pivotally supported upon the frame members of the wringer mechanism and pivotally attached to the said hand rails.

10. In a releasing mechanism, in combination, a wringer comprising contiguous rolls anda pressure applying means therefor, a frame for said rolls and said pressure means, parallel hand rails each pivotally supported at both ends by pivotally mounted links, one of said links being supported by a xed pivot the other supported by l a displaceable pivot, both of said pivots being supported upon said frame. l

11. `In a releasing mechanism, in combination, a wringer structure including contiguous rolls and a pressure applying means therefor, a frame for said rolls and said pressure means, said frame having aiilxed thereto, bracket members adapted to support pivoted link members, which link members are adapted to support the two ends of adjacent parallel hand rails. 40

12. A releasing mechanism for a wringer structure having a frame, there being affixed thereto bracket members on either side oi' the frame adapted to support pivoted link members which link members are adapted to support each end of a parallel hand rail, the bracket member supporting the pivoted link carrying one end of said hand rail adapted to support said link upon a fixed pivot, the bracketv member supporting the pivoted link carrying the other end of the said hand rail being adapted to support `the pivot of its associated link in a displaceable manner.

, 13. In a roll wringer releasing device, the combination o! a lower wringer frame, a releasable top frame therefor, wringer rolls disposed in the lower frame, tensioning means for the rolls supported in the upper frame, the same being capable of moving the upper frame relative to the lower frame to relax pressure between the rolls, no a toggle link mechanism connecting the upper" and lower frames the same being operable by the upper frame when'the latter is moved by` said tensioning means. latcl mechanism co.- operative with said 'link-mechanism adapted to 65 prevent operation of they latter by the described movement of the upper frame whereby said I movement is prevented and pressure between the rolls is maintained and manual means for moving said latch to permit operation of the toggle 7o link mechanism to allow movement of the upper i'rame whereby pressure between the rolls is relaxed.

NICHOLAS L. m. ze 

